Life is Short but Snakes Are Long
by AppleSharon
Summary: A look at life following the Second Wizarding War as a new generation of Slytherins make their way in the world. Varying perspectives from Slytherins young and old. Enjoy. Harry Potter New Generation. Will likely have a few pairings, especially later on. Draco/Astoria and Albus Severus/Scorpius to start.


He had heard stories.

Albus Severus Potter had heard countless stories. Innumerable stories from an overwhelming amount of people, most tripping over themselves to speak with the offspring of Harry Potter. Every facet of his father's life had inevitably been explored and regurgitated, somehow slightly altered from what Albus suspected had actually happened.

His father always laughed and sighed, steam rising from his cup of coffee as Albus showed him the latest Prophet headline.

Had his mind lingered longer, Albus would have begrudgingly given his father credit for his restraint. As it so happened, Albus' mind was occupied at the moment.

"Another Potter, eh? You're a bit different from the rest."

He had heard stories of the Sorting Hat. His brother James had told him that the hat would bite his head off if he argued with it. His father had told him that it would let him choose.

"My dad told me you have to do what I want you to," the trembling boy whispered.

"Oh, yes, yes. Did he now? You're proud, aren't you boy?"

The hat's voice resonated in his head. Albus frowned.

"It's not funny, I can go wherever I want, if I want it."

"Well then, my dear boy. Since you know so much, where do you wish to be?"

Albus continued to scowl, unappreciative of the hat's tone. Opening his mouth to say, "Gryffindor," Albus' mind took a mere seconds to catch up. He closed it quickly, managing a "G-uh–" before realization set in. Throughout the conversations, countless stories, and merciless teasing – the latter courtesy of James – no one had asked him what he wanted for himself.

"W-what do you see?" Albus finally said.

The hat's laughter echoed around him. Albus uselessly covered his ears with his hands, attempting to drown out the noise.

"Kindness yes, a fair amount of intellect, courage, but above all a thirst to be different. I ask you again, where to you wish to be? What do you want to do?"

Albus looked up at his brother James, whose eyes were glinting merrily above his upturned nose. Indubitably he was waiting to welcome Albus into Gryffindor, most likely with an embarrassing story or a prank.

"I . . . don't want to be with my brother," Albus whispered miserably. It was more of a surprise for him than the hat, who simply chuckled warmly.

"But what do you, Albus Severus Potter, want?"

"I– I don't know. I just want to be the best."

"The best at what?" the hat continued to prod. Albus squirmed uncomfortably as if the hat was forcibly reaching inside his brain.

"Everything," he whispered.

Albus heard a rustle above his brow as fabric stretched into a wide grin.

"SLYTHERIN!" a voice boomed across the Great Hall.

Wide-eyed, Albus looked up to see a look of horror on his brother's face. The Slytherin table had visibly erupted into cheers and caterwauling, but Albus couldn't hear any of it above the ringing in his ears and his disbelief. He wordlessly handed the hat back to Headmistress McGonagall. If she was shocked at the hat's decision, her face did not show it. Pointing Albus in the direction of the Slytherin table, she turned away, attending to a tall dark-skinned girl now seated in the chair that Albus had just vacated.

Terrified, Albus plodded towards his new House, where the cheers continued. As they died down, the ringing stopped. Albus sat at the very end of the table, smiling wanly at his new housemates who eagerly, almost ferociously, smiled back. Another boy – presumably a first-year – scooted down the bench on the opposite side until he was directly across from Albus.

"You know," the boy began. "You look just like–"

Cheers rose from the Slytherin table, drowning out whatever the brown-haired boy had wanted to say. Thankful for the interruption, Albus shrugged at the boy, who grinned and joined the clapping. Albus was prepared for the endless comparisons to his father – everyone always exclaimed at how similar the two looked – but he certainly didn't have to enjoy them. The only familial comparison that could possibly be worse than the great Harry Potter, would be his brother.

Shuddering, Albus looked towards the Gryffindor table. James stared back at him with a look of confusion before the same dark-skinned girl who had followed him alphabetically glided into Albus' field of vision, breaking eye contact with his brother. Relieved for the distraction, Albus turned to the girl who was now seated next to him. Appraising her, he noticed that she was impressively tall – much taller than Albus – and her eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled.

"Diana Pye," she said, folding her hands in her lap neatly while nodding slightly.

Another cheer rose, again from their Slytherin compatriots. Still dazed, Albus weakly clapped as "Travers, Althea" sat primly beside Diana.

"A good year for Slytherins, eh? That's three of us in a row."

Albus turned towards the voice's source, the boy across from him.

"Stephen Brewster," the boy said, scratching his ear nervously. "I was sorted well before you lot. I must say, I'm shocked that you ended up a snake, Potter. Thought your whole family was Gryffindor through and through." Stephen Brewster had an imperious way of speaking, Albus decided. He narrowed his eyes, feeling bested in this exchange before he had a chance to actually speak.

"You would be wrong about that, Brewster."

Another voice, low and quiet, cut through the conversation.

Albus looked to Stephen's right, seeing a boy with bright blond hair for the first time. The boy was small, his hair slicked back, and he held a book in front of his face as if to hide it. Briefly, Albus recalled witnessing the boy with his parents and sharply inhaled.

He had heard stories of the Malfoys. Admittedly, Albus suspected that most of these stories were rubbish, yet he couldn't help feeling intimidated by the boy, who had now lowered his book enough to reveal a pair of grey eyes.

"You're Scorpius Malfoy." Diana said. "I've heard loads about your family–"

Their end of the table went silent. Chatter from the upperclassmen and a cry of "RAVENCLAW!" filled his ears. A shriek of glee resonated across the Great Hall. Albus glanced up and watched as his cousin Rose skipped happily to the Ravenclaw table. He smiled. Ravenclaw was perfect for Rose.

An odd chuckle brought him back.

"Yes, Diana Pye, I presume everyone has heard of my family."

Scorpius Malfoy had aimed for an assertive tone, but it was thoroughly ruined, in Albus' opinion, by Scorpius' inability to hold back his laughter. Althea Travers and Stephen Brewster joined in nervously, and Diana's face broke into a wide grin.

"I knew the rumors weren't true," Diana sniffed.

Whatever rumors she was referring to were immediately forgotten as food suddenly appeared in front of them. Albus reached for a goblet of pumpkin juice, grateful for another interruption. As he raised the cup to his lips he heard Stephen cry out.

"A toast!" he said pompously.

Catching Scorpius Malfoy's eye, Albus rolled his slightly. The book lowered briefly and Albus swore that he saw an upturn of Scorpius' mouth.

"To Slytherin!" Stephen cried.

"To Slytherin," Albus mumbled.


End file.
